Thermostatically controlled gas valve



Sept. 1, 1931. E. s. HASTING THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED GAS VALVE Filed Feb. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, 82 g I ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1931 ELMER G. HASTING, OF DAYTON, OHIO,

PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOR OF THBEE-FOURTHS TO CON- TINENTAL STONE CORPORATION, OF IRONTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED GAS VALVE Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial N0. 425,254.

will admit the fuel more gradually to the burner. I

More specifically, the purpose of thisinvention is to prevent a sudden rush of gas to the burners and the consequent extinguishing of the pilot light, an inherent fault in snap action valves, and the provision of a safety pilot actuating a thermostatic contact thereon to control the main valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pilot light and a thermostatically op-.

erated switch that will be unaffected by the turning on or off of the main burners.

In the following specification and the accompanying drawings, I have more fully described my invention. Referring to the drawings in Figure 1 my invention is shown attached to a standard heating device such as a warm air furnace. Figure 2 is an end view of my thermostatic pilot burner, while Figure 3 is a side view of my thermostatic pilot burner. Figure 4 is a sectional view thru my thermostatically operated gas shutoff valve. Figure 5 is'a detail view of the means for manual operation. And Figure 6 is a schematic wiring diagram for my gas valve, pilot light and associated devices.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 1 indicates a gas supply main having connected thereto my valve 2, to be hereinafter more fully described. Gas is admitted to a conventional manifold 3 to which; the main burners 4 are connected thru individual valves 5 and mixing valves 6.

The main burners 4 are positioned within the fire box of the heating device and have in close proximity thereto a pilot burner 7 supplied by gas thru an auxiliary piping 8 and valve 9 to the supply main 1.

In order to prevent the inrush of cold air to the fire box after the gas burners have been shut off, I have provided a draft lever 10 on my valve 2 and actuated thereby, to open the draft door thru the chain connection 11, when the burners are turned on and to close the draft door when the gas is turned off, thus retaining the high temperature in the fire box until the heat therein is dissipated through the heating system.

Referring to Figure 4 the numeral 2 indicates my gas shut-off valve having a cast valve body 3, preferably of brass, and provided with hexagonal bosses 4 and 5 at its respective ends. The boss 4 is threaded to receive an inlet pipe and the opposite end is threaded to receive an outlet pipe. Horizontally disposed between the bosses at and 5 is an annular boss G having a circular opening 7 therein and separating an upper inlet passage 8 from a lower discharge or outlet passage 9. The boss 6 has in the top thereof a counter-bore 10 to receive a circular valve seatll having its upper edge face beveled to a sharp edge. The seat 11 is fitted tightly within the counterbore to prevent the leakage of gas.

Above the boss 6 and in alinement therewith is anothenannular boss-12 raised on the valve body 3 and machined to receive the stufing box and valve stem guide 13. The upper end of the guide has a reduced threaded portion 14 to receive a bracket 15 and retaining nut 16. Extending downwardly thru the valve stem guide 13 is the lower portion of a round valve stem 17 Loosely mounted on the lower end of the valve stem is a flat disc valve 18 havingaraised boss 19 drilled to receive thru its center the valve stem 17 and having a threaded concentric recess 20 on its lower face. The disc valve has its lower side faced with a suitable facing 21 of leather or other similar material and held in position against the valve by a metal disc 22. The metal disc 22 is of less diameter than the facing 21 and does not bear against the seat 11.

After the valve stem has been passed thru the disc valve, facing and metal disc, a shouldered threaded stud 23 is tightly screwed into the lower end of the valve stem and the shoulder thereon is received by the recess 20 in the disc valve. The valve facing and metal disc .1

are held in place against the lower face of the disc valve by a shouldered plug 24 received by the threaded recess 20 and likewise functioning to retain the shouldered stud 23 with in the recess 20.

The boss 19 on the top of the disc valve is received by an aperture in a diaphragm 25 of leather or other suitable material. This diaphragm is secured to the boss 19 by a nut 26 thereon and has its outer edges securely clamped between the boss 12 and the valve stem guide 13 by the screws 27. When the valve disc is raised or lowered the diaphragm moves with the latter to provide a gas tight connection at the stem. The means for imparting motion to the valve stem will now be described.

The bracket 15 comprises an L shaped member 15 having an oppositely projecting shelf 28 laterally disposed between the top and bottom of the L shaped member.

Secured to the shelf 28 is a conventional expansion unit 29 comprising a. collapsably bellows-like metal unit 30 hermetically sealed and havin contained therein a very volatile liquid suc as ether'or alcohol.

The unit 30 is enclosed under an inverted cup-like shield 31 to the top of which the stationary end of the unit 29 is attached. On top of the shield 31 is a cylindrical expansion chamber 32 having a tapering, funnel-shaped connection with the top of the shield 31 and the unit 30.

Surrounding the chamber 32 is a high resistance heater winding 33 of bare wire, insulated from the expansion chamber and provided with a terminal band 34 at its top and a similar band 35 at the lower end of the winding.

Extending downwardly from the unit 30 thru an opening 36 in the shelf 28 is a stud 37 havin a bifurcated end 38. Pivoted in a slotted oss 39 between the shelf 28 and the L shaped member is a lever arm 49, one end of which is attached to the bifurcated end 38 and having its opposite end 41 formed to receive the valve stem 17.

The valve stem 17 has a square upper portion 42 and at the end of the turned portion a washer 43 is shouldered against the square portion to thus impart the lifting action of the lever to the valve stem 17. The n per end of the square stem 42 is supported y a guide member 44 projecting laterally from the bracket member 15 and having a hole 45 therein in alinement with the valve stem as a guide for the latter.

Directly above the boss 39 and on the outside of the member 15' is another boss 46 slotted to receive the fulcrumed end of the draft door operating lever 10, fulcrumed on the stud 47, in whose other end a series of holes 48 are provided for a variable connection to a draft door 49 thru any suitable means such as the chain 11 (see Figure 1).

Adjacent the 46, the lever 10 is pivoted to the valve stem 42 by a pin 51 passing thru the latter. Above the pin 51 and below the bracket 44 there is pivoted to the stem 42, one on each side thereof, two inverted L shaped arms 52 between whose free ends there is riveted a spacer block 53 of insulating material. The lower end 54 of the block extends beyond the arms 52 sufiiciently to receive a metallic rod 55 on one end of which there is a finger piece 56 of insulating material such as bakelite. (See Figures 4 and 5.) The two arms 52 and the rod 55 are free to swing about the pivot 56 in the stem 42.

Adjacent the rod 55 and attached to the bracket 15' is a terminal block 56 having an insulation block 57 on the side adjacent the valve stem with two contact studs 58, 58 projecting from the face thereof sufliciently to engage the path of the rod 55 when the latter is swung outwardly from the stem. Each of the studs 58 has its upper face beveled, and has a reduced threaded portion 59 passing thru a clearance hole 60 in the bracket 15 and holes in a terminal block 61 on the side opposite to the block 57 to receive on eacha check nut 62 and thumb nut 63. In addition to the studs 58, 58 there is a terminal stud 64 adjacent the studs 58 in the terminal block 61. This terminal stud likewise has a check nut 62 and thumb nut 63.

Now, when the valve stem 42 is lifted manually by means of the finger piece 56, the latter will swing towards the bracket 15, and when the valve stem is lowered slightly the rod 55 will engage the beveled studs 58, 58 and thus arrest the further closing of thervalve'. When the unit 30 expands under the action of the heater winding, it will cause the lever 40 to lift the valve stem 42 slightly. This will permit the rod 55 to drop down, and when the valve stem drops thru the contraction of the unit 30, the valve will close completely.

Connected to one of the studs 58 is an in sulated conductor 65 leading to the terminal band 34, and a similar insulated conductor 66 leading from the terminal 64 to the lower terminal band 35. (See Figures 4, 5 and 6).

The complete expansion unit and terminal connections are protected from injury by an enclosing case 67 adapted to fit snugly against the sides of the member 15 and supported by the shelf '28.

My improved safety pilot burner comprises a T shaped tubular member 68 having a transverse passage 69 thru the top of the latter and communicating at its center with a vertical passage 70.

The cross piece of the member 68 is provided with a narrow slot 71 extending the full length thereof and adapted to facilitate the propogation of the flame. (See Figure integral with the cross piece and at one end thereof is a laterally projecting bracket 72, to which there is attached one end of a U- shaped piece of thermostatic ribbon 73, com prised of two metals having dissimilar cucllicients of expansion and adapted to cause a movement of its free end when its temperature is changed. (See Figures 2 and 3).

Extending downwardly thru a hole 74 in the center portion of the free end of the thermostatic ribbon 73 is an operating rod 75, provided on its upper threaded end with a check nut 76 below the ribbon 73 and a similar check nut 77 above the ribbon to atfe t an adjustment of the thermostatic control.

The. T-shaped melnber has aflared lower end 78 joined by a rib 79 on each side thereof, to a threaded nozzle 80 adapted to receive the gas inlet pipe and providing between said ribs air inlet ports.

The nozzle 80 has a small orifice 81 therein thru which the gas flows into the vertical passage and combines with air drawn in between the ribs 79 below the flared end 78 to form a conventional mixing valve.

ecured to the ribs 79 by screws 82 is a contact block I, of non-conduction material. A flat spring contact 84 is attached to one side of the block by a screw 85, nut 86 and thumb nut 87.

Positioned under the free end of the spring and extending thru the block 82) is another contact likewise provided with a nut 86 and thumb nut 87.

llxtend iug thru the block and between the contact 88 and the screw 85 is another hole 8 in alinement with the hole 74 in the ribbon 73 and adapted to receive loosely the rod 75. whose lower end bears against the spring Contact .84. (See Figures 2 and 3).

Now when the flame of the pilot is extinguished the thermostatic ribbon 73 will cool. This will cause the free end to descend and thru its contact with the check nut 76 force the rod T5 downward sufliciently to break the ntact between the spring 84 and the contact.

Referring to Figures 6 my devices and related apparatus consist of a step down transformer 9O supplying a low potential current thru its terminals 91 and 92. The terminal 91 of the transformer is connected with the contact 88 by an insulated conductor 93; and the terminal 85 is connected with the terminal 64 by another conductor 94. This terminal 4 is connected to one terminal 35 of the heater; and the other heater terminal 34 is conn cted to one of the studs 58. From this terminal 58 a conductor 95 leads to a terminal 96 of a conventional thermostat 97, comprising a strip of thermostatic metal 98 mounted on a post 9.) attached to a wall plate 100 and positioned to make and break contact with an adjustable contact 101 at any usual room temperature. From a terminal 102 on the adjustable contact 101 a conductor 103 extends to the other terminal 92 of the transformer 5"). Likewise a second conductor 104 leads from the terminal 102 to the other stud 58.

It is apparent that the two contacts 58.

58 are connected in parallel with the thermostat terminals 96-102, and that when the valve stem is lifted manually during an interruption of the electric current and the finger piece 56' is lifted, the rod 55 will come to rest across the terminals 58, 58 and thus complete a circuit through these contacts.

Now when the current is resumed, current will flow thru the heater coil 33 if the pilot is burning and will cause the valve stem 1742 to rise thru the action of the expansion unit 31, thus freeing the rod 55 from the contacts 58, 58 and permitting it to drop down in place against the valve stem 42.

If now the room temperature is amply high and the thermostatic contacts 97 are open, then the circuit thru the heater coil will be interrupted and the valve will close. \Vhen the pilot light is extinguished. the circuit from the transformer terminal 91 thru the pilot light contacts 8885 to the terminal (34, is open, and no current will flow thru the heater winding.

It is thus seen that I have provided a thermostatically controlled gas shut-off valve providing extreme simplicity of operation, maximum safety in use and overcoming the many objections found in present valves, chiefly the sudden opening of the valve permitting the admission of a large volume of raw gas to the combustion chamber and the resultant instantaneous combustion thereof, frequently causing the pilot light to be extinguished.

In a valve of the type herein described, fuel is admitted more gradually to the combustion chamber, so that flue temperature and draft conditions improve as the amount of gas to be admitted increases.

The closing of the draft door simultaneous with the shutting off of the gas supply. aids in retaining the heat within the fire box by preventing the inrush of cold air.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the type described. a gas valve, a seat for said valve. a vertically movable member for raising sa d valve above its seat, a pivoted catch element carried by the vertical member, a fixed stop engageable by the catch element to hold the valve a predetermined distance above its seat, and ther mostatically controlled means engageable with the vertical member for raising the valve still farther to release the catch elc ment from the fixed stop.

2. In an apparatus of the type described, a gas valve, manual means for opening said valve, means for holding said valve open a predetermined degree, thermostatically controlled means for opening the valve still further to release the holding means, and an electric circuit including the theri'nostitieally controlled means and the holding means, which is broken when the latter is released, for the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, a

gas valve body, a seat in the latter, a valve on said seat, a vertical rod for raising said valve above its seat, thermostatically controlled electric means adjacent said rod, a connection between the latter and the thermostatically controlled means, to raise the valve from its seat when the thermostatically controlled means is energized, a fixed stop, and a swinging; member on the rod free to be manually engaged with the stop to hold the valve in a raised osition until it is further elevated by the thermostatically controlled means.

4. In an apparatus of the type described, a gas valve body, a seat in the latter, a valve on said seat, a vertical member for raising said valve above its seat, thermostatically controlled electric means adjacent said rod, a connection between the latter and the thermostatuall v controlled means to raise the valve from its seat when the thermostatically controlled means is energized, a pair of lixed studs adjacent said rod, a swiugn; member on the latter, free to be manually set upon said studs to bridge them and hold the valve in a raised position until it is further elevated by the thermostatically controlled means. and an electric circuit including the latter and the studs and adapted to be broken when the swing ng member is raised above them. i

5. In an apparatus of the type described, a gas valve, therinostath'ally controlled electric means for opening said valve, manual means for partly opening the valve independently ot the electric means, a fixed member for holding the valve in a partly opened position, an electric circuit including said electric means and fixed member, and means carried by the valve for engaging, the fixed member to close the circuit between it and the electrical means for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of January, 1930.

ELMER G. HASTING.

gas valve body, a seat in the latter, a valve on said seat, a vertical rod for raising said valve above its seat, thermostatically controlled electric means adjacent said rod, a connection between the latter and the thermostatically controlled means, to raise the valve from its seat when the thermostatically controlled means is energized, a fixed stop, and a swinging member on the rod free to be manually engaged with the stop to hold the valve in a raised position until it is further elevated by the thermostatically controlled means.

4. In an apparatus of the type described, a gas valve body, a seat in the latter, a valve on said seat, a vertical member for raising said valve above its seat, thermostatically controlled electric means adjacent said rod, a connection between the latter and the thermostatically controlled means to raise the valve from its seat when the thermostatically controlled means is energized, a pair of fixed studs adjacent said rod, a swing ng member on the latter, free to be manually set upon said studs to bridge them and hold the valve in a raised position until it is further elevated by the tliermostatically controlled means, and an electric circuit ineluding the latter and the studs and adapted to be broken when the swinging member is raised above them.

5. In an apparatus of the type described, a gas valve, thermostatieally controlled electric means for opening said valve, manual means for partly opening the valve independently of the electric means, a fixed member for holding the valve in a partly opened position, on electric circuit including said electric means and fixed member, and means carried by the valve for engaging the fixed member to close the circuit between it and the electrical means for the purpose specilied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of January, 1930.

ELMER G. HASTING.

'CERTIFICA'IE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. l, 821, 512.

Granted September 1, 1931, to

ELMER c. nns'rmc.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee of three-fourths interest in the above numbered patent was erroneously written and printed as (iontmental Stone Corporation", whereas said name should have been written and pr nted Continental Stove Corporation, as shown by the records of assignments n this oificc; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correct on therein that the same may conform to the record oi the case in the Patent Office.

Signcd'and sealed this 3rd day of November, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,821,512. Granted September 1, 1931, to

EIMER G. HASTING.

-It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee of three-fourths interest in the above numbered patent was erroneously written and printed as "Continental StoneCorporation", whereas said name should have been written and printed as Continental Stove Corporation, as shown by the records of assignments in this otfice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed'and sealed this 3rd day of November, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

